Read on Twitter
While we wait, here are some things that we could do to address the 60M+ delusional, frankly dangerous Americans who voted for Trump after 4 years of near- and actual disasters:
1. Rebuild high school civics curricula. There is no reason on God's earth that grown-ass people should be so easily duped about the bedrock processes of democracy their society rests on: How votes are cast and counted. The limits of executive power. Where taxes go.
This election is ample proof that civic ignorance is a threat to our national security. Plan for the inevitable right-wing claims of a "liberal bias" and demands to teach American exceptionalism: Anyone who opposes teaching basic civics should be called out as un-American.
2. Reduce wealth inequality by any means necessary. Yes, it's a big problem, but it has a lot pieces, and we should attack as many as we can. Read some of @RBReich's stuff to grasp the extent of the damage, and for specific policy fixes that are well within reach.
3. Fucking burn down Facebook. We have solid research showing how Facebook warps people's thinking ( https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/10/26/facebook-algorithm-conservative-liberal-extremes/), perverts our democratic processes, and makes us vulnerable to hostile foreign powers. Regulate, boycott, keep exposing its abuses. Whatever it takes.
3a: If you don't already use F.B Purity, try it. It gives you fantastic control over your feed, and most importantly, it LETS YOU BLOCK ALL FACEBOOK ADS. Which means it DENIES FACEBOOK A REVENUE STREAM. Of course . . . https://www.fbpurity.com/
. . . Facebook doesn't like a product that denies it its revenue stream, so they are constantly tweaking their code to break F.B. Purity. Sometimes it stops working briefly, then the creator gets it running again. It's well worth the hassle. Furthermore , , ,
. . . it's free (just donate to the creator now and then OK?). Which shows that there is ample opportunity for good, talented people to find more ways to block Facebook's revenue stream. Look at the impact ad-blocking software has had on the news business. Now imagine . . .
. . . if we could wreak the same havoc on Zuck's balance sheet. That might get his attention.
4. All-out blitz on FOX News and Murdoch's poisonous empire. Nutjob right-wing radio was always a thing, but it took FOX to pump it into car dealerships and doctors' offices 24/7. Boycott, regulate, investigate its crimes and abuses, sue.
Other countries are ramping up efforts to pick apart Rupert's propaganda machine, but individuals can do plenty too. Call out local businesses that advertise on FOX. If you see FOX playing in a business's waiting area, ask the staff to change the channel.
5. For all of these, consider allying with faith communities, if you aren't a member of one yourself. Evangelicals and other radicals have given faith a bad name (ask me about my Catholic upbringing!) but most people of faith aren't assholes and they bring a lot to the fight.
They have immense ethical standing in American culture, for one thing. Letters of concern to advertisers from church members will cause consternation in the executive suites. Plus, plenty of religious folks have been fighting these battles for ages (literally). . .
They have skills, experience, and often, deep practice wisdom. They tend to have thought carefully about how to make the world better. You can learn a lot from them. Finally, they tend to know their communities well, and they turn people out!
I'm still low on sleep so I'll stop here, but I'm sure you all have more ideas. Let's share them and start working. I have no desire to wallow in "We had NO IDEA Americans were so awful!" think pieces for the next month. We knew we were awful. We know why. Let's change us.
(And of course, 6. campaign finance reform and 7. electoral college delenda est.)
